To observe the effect of core stability training on lumbar disc herniation using changes in surface-electromyography signals from the core muscles.

Sixty patients with lumbar disc herniation were equally divided into an experimental group who were given the core stability training in addition to their regular physical therapy and a control group given the regular physical therapy only. The total course of treatment was 8 weeks. Each patient was assessed before the experiment and after 4 and 8 weeks of the intervention using the numeric rating scales of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association, the Oswestry disability index and integrated electromyogram (iEMG), root mean square (RMS) and medium frequency (MF) of the electromyographic signals from the rectus abdominis, obliqus externus abdominis, erector spinae, lumbar multifidus and gluteus medius muscles.

No significant differences between the two groups were observed in any of the measurements before or after four weeks of the treatment. After 4 and 8 weeks of treatment, both groups had significant improvements in all of the measurements compared with before the experiment. Between 4 and 8 weeks the experimental group showed significant improvement in all of the measurements which was not matched in the control group. By the end of the treatment, all of the measurements of the experimental group were, on average, significantly better than those of the control group.

Both core stability training and regular physical therapy have similar effects on patients with lumbar disc herniation in the short term. However, continued core stability training improves the ability of core muscles and relieves pain and dysfunction better than prolonged regular physical therapy.

Lumbar disc herniation; Core muscles; Core stability training; Surface electromyography